Tule Union Meeting Report

[Birdman]

It seems the union has made a proposal to the compAAny. Any accurate details?

 

[Bob Owens]

It seems the union has made a proposal to the compAAny. Any accurate details?

With the TWU details are for "the company to know and you not to find out!"

Unbelievable, the TWU says "support your negotiators" but then they dont even tell you what you are supporting.

One of the latest rumors is that the TWU wants to expand their insurance business. Negotiate away another company benifit so it can put more money in their pockets.

 

[MCI transplant]

With the TWU details are for "the company to know and you not to find out!"

Unbelievable, the TWU says "support your negotiators" but then they dont even tell you what you are supporting.

One of the latest rumors is that the TWU wants to expand their insurance business. Negotiate away another company benifit so it can put more money in their pockets.

<_< ------ Bob, I was wondering about the relationship ( if any?) between these negotiations, and the VBR? It seems to me both the company, and the Union, are pushing this thing, (VBR) extremely hard! Any thoughts?

 

[Chuck Schalk]

I am skeptical of anything the TWU is pushing. I base this on past experience. When ever the TWU is selling something to the membership there is something in it for them. One example was the 1995 contract when the TWU International sent out contract info with a check in the yes box for accepting the contract to all our homes. The TWU picked up american eagle to represent with the blessings of the company. NO card drive or vote, the company just gave it to the TWU. We got a six year concessionary contract in the best years aviation ever had and the company would not open the contract and the TWU accepted their answer.
we were also being sold whole life insurance a few years ago with promises of no increases and we were sold a fools gold.
2003 jim little stated we would fully open our contract in 2006 and get back all we gave back. another false promise to sell the contract.
the list could go on and on but you get the idea.

I strongly oppose the TWU taking over anything. They have no expertise, I don't believe any of the appointed atd officers have a college degree from an accredited college and have proven they can't do anything right with regards to the memership.

 

[1AA]

I am skeptical of anything the TWU is pushing. I base this on past experience. When ever the TWU is selling something to the membership there is something in it for them. One example was the 1995 contract when the TWU International sent out contract info with a check in the yes box for accepting the contract to all our homes. The TWU picked up american eagle to represent with the blessings of the company. NO card drive or vote, the company just gave it to the TWU. We got a six year concessionary contract in the best years aviation ever had and the company would not open the contract and the TWU accepted their answer.
we were also being sold whole life insurance a few years ago with promises of no increases and we were sold a fools gold.
2003 jim little stated we would fully open our contract in 2006 and get back all we gave back. another false promise to sell the contract.
the list could go on and on but you get the idea.

I strongly oppose the TWU taking over anything. They have no expertise, I don't believe any of the appointed atd officers have a college degree from an accredited college and have proven they can't do anything right with regards to the memership.

DAMN IT Chuck, I hate it when you tell the truth. Now I know why the company Union lies to us. They do not want to piss us off. TOO LATE for that I have been pissed since the 1989 contract. LIES, LIES and more LIES.
Have a great day and be happy.

 

[Bob Owens]

<_< ------ Bob, I was wondering about the relationship ( if any?) between these negotiations, and the VBR? It seems to me both the company, and the Union, are pushing this thing, (VBR) extremely hard! Any thoughts?

Well most of those who acccept the VBR would most likely be "No" votes on the next concessionary deal the TWU cooks up. Getting rid of senior workers who are at top pay, max vacation and max sick bank also saves the company money. For every 9 workers with max vacation that leave the company the company basically gets the cost savings of getting rid of 10 new hires, which is where the cuts will come from if they dont get enough to accept the VBRs. So the company gets roughly 10% more in savings by getting senior workers to leave instead of cutting workers at the bottom. So if 400 people so far took the VBR the company will see their cost decline as if they laid off 440 people.

I wouldnt be suprised to see an even sweeter offer along system protection in order to get a contract passed.

 

[Birdman]

My understanding is the specifics of the unions proposal was shared at the local meeting Monday. Being on agency fee statis I received this info 2nd hand. The union wanted a response by Wed.. If I heard correctly, the unions proposal contained a little more pay, no vacation, and one less holiday than the companies proposal. The "Working Together" process IS alive and well.

 

[B737NG]

It seems the union has made a proposal to the compAAny. Any accurate details?

From what my local pres. has said... The union had submitted a short term 18 month proposal to the company. It consisted of a 6 percent lump sum payment that would have been calculated from May '08 to May '09. Thus leaving the companies labor costs unchanged for a one year period. There would then be a 3.5 percent raise of base pay followed by another 3.5 percent raise of base pay 5 months later, for a total of 7 percent base pay increase over the life of the 18 month contract. Holiday pay would be 2x base pay rate. Memorial day holiday exchanged for Labor day., so no increase in the number of holidays. It was my understanding that what the company had offered previously amounted to a dollar figure of 120 million. What our committee did was then basically take that same 120 million and re-arrange the same dollars to try and get us a base pay rate increase as well as a lump sum payment.
The meeting between the company and the union that was to take place today and tomorrow has been rescheduled for next week due to the the company requesting all TWU negotiating committees presence next week. It is then speculation that the company may then have another offer where all work groups must agree.

 

[FrequentFlierCA]

Interesting. Glad to see there is some forward progress on this. Sounds like the TWU negotiators are putting out sensible proposals.

 

[MCI transplant]

<_< ------- Interesting timing! Right after the window closed on the VBR!

 

[Bob Owens]

From what my local pres. has said... The union had submitted a short term 18 month proposal to the company. It consisted of a 6 percent lump sum payment that would have been calculated from May '08 to May '09. Thus leaving the companies labor costs unchanged for a one year period. There would then be a 3.5 percent raise of base pay followed by another 3.5 percent raise of base pay 5 months later, for a total of 7 percent base pay increase over the life of the 18 month contract. Holiday pay would be 2x base pay rate. Memorial day holiday exchanged for Labor day., so no increase in the number of holidays. It was my understanding that what the company had offered previously amounted to a dollar figure of 120 million. What our committee did was then basically take that same 120 million and re-arrange the same dollars to try and get us a base pay rate increase as well as a lump sum payment.
The meeting between the company and the union that was to take place today and tomorrow has been rescheduled for next week due to the the company requesting all TWU negotiating committees presence next week. It is then speculation that the company may then have another offer where all work groups must agree.

So in exchange for the billions in wage cuts and hundreds of millions of additional revenue the company throws a measely $120 million and the TWU jumps at it.

The TWU is desperate to get that $120 million into something that will up their revenue(check their LM-2). If we are only going to get $120 million get me my holidays, vacation, longevity, doubletime and shift differential back first, this way the International gets none of it.

 

[AdiosAmigos]

<_< ------- Interesting timing! Right after the window closed on the VBR!

see what i meant mci......refer to my post a couple of days ago.....vbr's granted as a result of these contract discussions in tul/afw ...no recalls until options for mci people are exhausted...this is too easy...i should have been a cpa....or ????????

 

[Hopeful]

So in exchange for the billions in wage cuts and hundreds of millions of additional revenue the company throws a measely $120 million and the TWU jumps at it.

The TWU is desperate to get that $120 million into something that will up their revenue(check their LM-2). If we are only going to get $120 million get me my holidays, vacation, longevity, doubletime and shift differential back first, this way the International gets none of it.

That too coupled with the fact the TWU has always agreed on a contract before the pilots and flight attendants....Who later on have always managed to get a better deal in their own right.

Typical company union wanting to be first on the "we helped the company out" deal.

 

[BigMac]

So in exchange for the billions in wage cuts and hundreds of millions of additional revenue the company throws a measely $120 million and the TWU jumps at it.

The TWU is desperate to get that $120 million into something that will up their revenue(check their LM-2). If we are only going to get $120 million get me my holidays, vacation, longevity, doubletime and shift differential back first, this way the International gets none of it.

Bob, don't forget the thousands of past job cuts.
WE NEED TO GET OUR GUYS BACK !
So.. AA's plan is to get rid of more and pay us back scraps and sacrificial blood money ?
I suppose many will vote on a new "ALL ABOUT ME AND MINE..SCREW THE REST" contract.
It's obvious the TWU is more of a communist union, but I do believe if anything there should be a real union amongst workers.
Too many have forgotten or given up on our friends that hit the streets and can only think about the pay "WE" lost.
Just doesn't say much for Unionism to me.
How about all our concessions and our guys back !! PERIOD !

 

[Birdman]

Bob, don't forget the thousands of past job cuts.
WE NEED TO GET OUR GUYS BACK !
So.. AA's plan is to get rid of more and pay us back scraps and sacrificial blood money ?
I suppose many will vote on a new "ALL ABOUT ME AND MINE..SCREW THE REST" contract.
It's obvious the TWU is more of a communist union, but I do believe if anything there should be a real union amongst workers.
Too many have forgotten or given up on our friends that hit the streets and can only think about the pay "WE" lost.
Just doesn't say much for Unionism to me.
How about all our concessions and our guys back !! PERIOD !

A labor union is defined as "a group of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in the key areas of wages, hours, and working conditions" (Boone and Kurtz, 1999, p. 414).